Puzzle or game device



(No Model.)'

No. 582.276. Patented May 11, 1897..

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Wl TNESS J) IN VE N TO 4 l/ Jim,

A TTORNEYJ UNITED STATEs ATENT Price;

JOHN ALFRED-FOOKES AND JOHN EDWARD AHRENS, or YNKERS,

NEw YORK.

PUZZLE OR GAME DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,276, dated May 11, 1897.

" Application filed March 8, 1897. Serial No. 626,465. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN ALFRED FooKEs and JOHN EDWARD AHRENS, citizens of the United States, residing 'at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles or Game Devices, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to puzzles and game devices; and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which may be used as a puzzle or as means for playing a game; and with these and other objects in View the invention consists in the device hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate'parts of our improvement are designated by the same numerals of reference in each of the views, and in which- Figure l is a plan 'view of our improvement; Fig. 2, a central longitudinal vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a trans- Verse section of one end thereof on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In the practice of our invention we provide a device of the class herein specified which comprises a rectangular box or casing composed of a bottom 5, vertical end walls 6, and vertical side walls 7, and at each end of said box or casing and at the longitudinal center thereof is formed a circular chamber 8, each of which is provided with a cover 9, in the center of which is forned a circular opening 10, and each of these chambers is provided at one side thereof with an opening 11, which is closed by a door 12, which is hinged at its top and adapted to swing outwardly, as shown at 13 in Fig. 3.

The bottom of the box or casing is provided with a figure represented by two parallel lines 14:, one of which is placed adjacent to each of the side walls 7, and at the ends of each of these lines are inwardly-directed lines 15, the inner ends of which connect with a circular line 16, by means of which two circular spaces 17 are formed which open outwardly in the direction of the circular chamber 8, and in the inner portions of these circular spaces 17 are placed segmental or circular Vertical walls or plates 18, the convex surfaces of which are directed inwardly.

Centrally of the box or casing are placed two semicircular vertical walls or plates 19, the convex sides of which are turned in opposite directions or toward the sides of the box or casing, and the ends of these walls or plates overlap, so as to form a central elliptical space 20, which is open at both sides, as shown at 21, and the side lines ll of the figure hereinbefore described are each provided with inwardly directed angular loops 22, which are preferably arranged as shown in the drawings. i

e also provide a plurality of balls or spherical bodies 23, which are preferably five in number, and when the device is used as a puzzle these balls or bodies are placed in the central elliptical chamber 20, and the solution of the puzzle consists in so manipulating the device as to pass said balls or bodies into the circular spaces 17 and then jump them intothe circular chambers 8 through the openings 10 in the top thereof, or the solution may consist in so manipulating the device as to place two of said balls or bodies in-each of said chambers and leave the other in the central elliptical chamber 20, and many other forms of solution may be adopted without departing from the spirit of our invention or sacrificing its advantages. In this solution the balls or bodies must not be allowed to roll outside ofthe lines 14 andl, and if they should they are to be rolled back within said lines, and in this operation they must be passed over the angular inwardly-directed loops 22; but this feature is not an essential element of our invention and may or may not be employed.

NVhen used as a game device, the game will consist in seeing or deterninin g which of two or more parties can first lodge the balls or bodies in the circular chambers 8 in the manner hereinbefore described in a given length of time, and it will thus be seen that we ac complish the object of our invention by means IOO of a device which is simple in construction and operation and which is comparatively inexpensive. i

The difiiculty of the solution of the puzzle as above described or in playing the game referred to results largely from the fact that the doors 12 of the circular chambers 8 are free to swing outwardly and one or more of the balls when lodged in said chainbers, unless the manipulator of the device is very careful, will come out before the other balls are lodged therein.

Having fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The herein-described puzzle or game devioe, the same comprising a rectangular box or casing, which is provided at each end with a circular chamber in one side of which is placed a swinging door, said box or casing being also provided at the center the-eof, with a chainber which is open at both sides, and said end chambers being provided with covers, in the tops of which are forned openings, substantially as shown and described.

2. The herein-described puzzle or game device, the same comprising a rectangular box or casing which is provided at each end with a circular chamber in one side of which is placed a swinging door, said box or casing being also provided at the center thereof, with a chamber which is open at both ends, and said end chambers being provided with covers, in the tops of which are forned openings, and the bottom of said box or casing between said end chambers and the central chanber being provided with vertical walls or plates, substantially as shown and described.

3. The herein-described puzzle or game device, the same comprising a rectangular box or casing, which is provided at each end with a circular chamber in one side of which is placed a swinging door, said box or casing being also provided at the center thei-cof, with a chamber which is open' at both ends, and said end chanbers being provided with covers, in the tops of which are form ed openings, and the bottom of said boX or casing between said end chanbers and the central chanber being provided with vertical walls or plates, and said bottom being also provided with a figure, .comprising two horizontal lines, and inwardly-inclined end lines which connect with circular lines whereby circular spaces are formed which inclose said vertical plates or Walls,substantially as shown and described In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we have signed our names, in presence of the subscribin g witnesses, this 6th day of March, 1897.

JOHN ALFRED FOOKES. JOHN EDWARD AHRENS.

lVitnesses:

WILLIAM W. SCRUGHAM, ASHTON B. CUNNINGHAM. 

